The end of Colorado’s legislative session on Wednesday coincides with the beginning of Older Americans month. As the legislature winds down its work for this year, older Coloradans are using the month named in their honor to gear up for greater social activism.

Older Americans Month recognizes the past, present and future contributions of older adults. This year’s theme — “Never too old to play” — reflects the ways in which older people are redefining our later years: as a second stage of adulthood. Americans are not just living longer, we’re also thriving longer. But all too often, our public policies reflect shorter-term thinking.

In our view, those who say we must choose between good education for our children and good health care for our elderly and disabled give us false choices rather than real, innovative solutions. Some view our children, seniors, and the programs that support them as political punching bags — easy targets for divisive attacks.

We now have an opportunity and an obligation to contribute our perspectives and experiences. It is a time for both active engagement and active wisdom, a time when we are neither too old to play — nor too old to be a player.

Boomers and older people have built strong foundations for our Colorado communities. But to ensure our communities remain vibrant and viable for all ages, now we must also nurture the shoots that form new growth: today’s children, tomorrow’s adults.

In partnership with the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Generations United last week launched Colorado Seniors4Kids as a new ally for policies and investments that help children thrive and grow a stronger Colorado for future generations, building on the excellent work already established by great local intergenerational organizations and programs such as Bessie’s Hope, Foster Grandparents, Circle of Care, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, and others too numerous to set forth here.

The need is great: According to the Campaign’s recent 2012 KIDS COUNT report, nearly 17 percent of Colorado’s 1.2 million children today live in poverty. Ten percent lack health insurance; and approximately 270,000 children (or about 22 percent) live in households considered food insecure. For the fifth straight year, Colorado ranks near the bottom nationally in preschool spending.

But the potential for making a difference is equally great: The number of Coloradans age 50 and above is 1,517,000. If just 10 percent of that number could be mobilized on children’s behalf, that would mean 152,000 new voices advocating at the grassroots level.

We have a stake in the success of Colorado Seniors4kids. In 2004, we joined with 11 other high-profile 50-plus women to establish GrannyVoter. We believed then — and still believe — that our political voice is part of our legacy and want to use it to give our grandchildren a say in the America they will inherit.

We know that the decisions American leaders make today will shape the lives of our grandchildren over the next decades. We also know that older adults — as the largest voting bloc in the American electorate — can use our political capital to shape solutions to pressing problems with our grandchildren’s future in mind.

We hope that every Coloradan over the age of 50 will support Colorado Seniors4Kids and commit to future generations. Why? Because children can’t vote, and all of us are better off when our youngest community members are thriving. We are stronger together.

Patricia Schroeder represented Colorado in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1973-97, where she chaired the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families. Dr. Mary Catherine Bateson is a noted author, anthropologist and scholar who encourages older adults to claim a voice for the future, most recently in the book “Composing a Further Life: The Age of Active Wisdom.”